Every Shrimp English Scientists Have Sampled Recently Has Tested Positive For Cocaine

Even the shrimp in rural areas are testing positive for cocaine, according to a massive study of British waterways.

Scientists in the UK set out to examine shrimp from 15 different sites across Suffolk County, on the northeast coast of the country, in the hopes of discovering what micro pollutants may be present in the mini prawns.

But literally every single shrimp researchers caught tested positive for cocaine, although they’ve stressed that it’s not the crustaceans’ fault.

“Such regular occurrence of illicit drugs in wildlife was surprising,” study author, Dr. Leon Barron of King’s College London, said.

“We might expect to see these in urban areas such as London, but not in smaller and more rural catchments.”

The drugs would, of course, make their way into waterways after being used by humans; as well as cocaine, ketamine, illegal pesticides and pharmaceuticals “were also widespread in the shrimp that were collected”.

“Although concentrations were low, we were able to identify compounds that might be of concern to the environment and crucially, which might pose a risk to wildlife,” lead author Dr. Thomas Millers of King’s College added.

The findings have been published in this month’s Environment International journal.

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